


On Your Mind

by theunsweetenedtruth



Series: The Adored One [5]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 16:10:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16895811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theunsweetenedtruth/pseuds/theunsweetenedtruth
Summary: The aftermath to T'Challa and Nereyda's breakup.





	On Your Mind

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the next part! This was supposed to be the last one before the epilogue but the whole thing was too long for one sitting so I just split it into two. Suggested listening for this one is On Your Mind by Baby Rose. I went to see The Internet a few weeks ago and she opened for them and I'm obsessed with her voice and music. Please let know what you think. The next part will be up next week.

T’Challa sat in the council meeting, not hearing what was going on around him. His mind was on Nereyda; he couldn’t understand where things went wrong. Ok. That wasn’t true. He knew where things went wrong. But the fact that she wasn’t in the palace, home with him, made him feel off. It was like missing a limb. Or his heart.

He perked up when Erik slipped in the double doors and hastened to end the meeting. “I will think about what you have presented here and will give my decision next meeting.” The Elders saluted him and began to exit. Ramonda gave him a perplexed look as she left. He ignored her. She played a large role in Nereyda’s departure. He wasn’t sure what Ramonda had said to her but it didn’t matter; Ramonda knew how he felt but it was clear to T’Challa that she was more concerned with what she thought the country should be under T’Challa’s ruling, rather than the vision he had for his own rule.

When the doors shut behind the last of the council members and only Erik and him were left, T’Challa spoke. “What’s the update?”

Erik took the seat next to him. “She looks okay, decorated the place, got plants and shit.” T’Challa’s face fell. She was moving on without him, of course she would. Soon, a brave soul would get over the aversion to her former status and she might love again. He wanted that for her but he couldn’t imagine not being that person for her. His fists clenched at the thought of another man knowing Nereyda the way he did. Of another man holding her, making love to her, drawing out sighs and moans the way only T’Challa deserved to hear…

“I can tell she’s miserable though.” Erik’s distracted voice broke through his anger.

“What? How?”

Erik held up a finger, typing on his phone. T’Challa grew impatient quickly—surely the reason why Erik was taking his sweet time. Finally he looked up from what must have been an intriguing message. “She has bags under her eyes, which means she hasn’t been sleeping, her hair’s looks like shit,” Erik counted on his fingers. “Plus her fine ass friend been telling me what’s going on with her. Says she hadn’t left the house since you went there that one night.”

T’Challa wasn’t happy to hear Nereyda wasn’t taking care of herself but he was pleased that she hadn’t dropped and forgotten him like he’d feared. He frowned.

“I don’t want you getting updates from Nina.” He was pissed at her; if she would’ve minded her business, he could’ve explained what was happening to Nereyda first.

“Chill T. She felt really bad after I told her what was really happening.” Erik wore a Cheshire grin. “Had to do a little comforting if you know what I mean.” T’Challa rolled his eyes. He was done with Erik. He rose from the throne and made his way to the door. “Aye. How long am I gonna have to keep doing this?”

T’Challa turning to his cousin slowly. “This is partly your fault N’Jadaka. If it was for yours and Nakia’s scheming, I wouldn’t be in this mess with Nereyda.”

Erik jumped to his feet. “Nah cuz, don’t put that shit on me and Nakia. If you would’ve been honest with your girl from jump, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

T’Challa felt the truth of his words. “You’re right. It’s my own fault I lost the love of my life.” He exited the throne room.

————————

“So the plans for the outreach center are a go.” Nakia and T’Challa were seated in his office going over the final plans for the outreach center. The first one would open in Oakland, California, an homage to T’Challa’s uncle N’Jobu. This was the reason for his sacrifice.

Between him and Erik—and Nakia in her father’s ear—T’Challa has been working hard over the years to bring the idea to the council. They had been thwarted at every turn, sometimes by the elders, other times by his own father. The consensus was that there was a possibility T’Challa wouldn’t be fit to rule, citing both the presence of his dora in the palace, and his ideas to use Wakandan resources to help blacks all over the world. The council knew they couldn’t control Erik; he was not a viable candidate for king and would make a bigger mess than T’Challa ever could. T’Challa received word that an elder’s second in command had approached M’Baku about challenging T’Challa for the throne. Luckily, T’Challa and M’Baku has their own arrangement; M’Baku had no interest in being king but rather desired a voice for his people in Wakandan affairs. The council was looking for someone to challenge T’Challa though; he had to move smarter.

Bringing back Nakia to aid in the plan has quieted some of the discord enough that no one challenged him on challenge day, but T’Challa knew the council could make his life difficult if he didn’t stay ahead of their schemes. The public proposal sealed the deal and Nereyda moving out—while not a part of his plan at all—helped to convince the council that he was taking his role as king seriously. When it came time to propose the outreach center, T’Challa had Erik, Shuri, Nakia, and Nakia’s father at his back. He had secured M’Baku’s vote with a seat on the council, another project he’d had to butter the elders up for.

_After the presentation of plans for the outreach center, the history of the treatment of black worldwide and the need of the outreach center in Oakland, the council sat quietly. T’Challa could feel Erik shuffling in frustration. Nakia, to his right was unusually still. Shuri looked bored, ready to get back to her lab and begin planning her classes for the center._

_“My king, I’m not so sure this is a good idea or the right time. Your father—“_

_“My father is no longer here. I am the king now.” He glared down the room. “Elders, this is a formality. I have the majority votes already secured and I will be moving forward with the outreach center.” T’Challa was upset. These people tried to control his life, expecting him to be a puppet to their machinations. “You have sat here in Wakanda, in your homes benefitting off of what it means to live in a truly free nation. America is not the land of the free for anyone who isn’t rich, male, and white. We have the resources to change that, provide aid to the descendants of those we watched be stolen from their homes if you cannot see the need for this outreach center and others to come, I will gladly take your resignation as council member and begin looking for your replacements.” He looked each council member in the eye, including Ramonda. He would not back down this time._

_“Let’s take a vote,” M’Baku said cheerfully. And that was the end of that._

“T’Challa?” Nakia’s voice broke through his thoughts.

“I’m sorry you asked something?” He tried to stay in the moment. It wouldn’t do for him to get distracted when everything he’s been working towards was within his grasp.

“I asked if it was alright for us to move forward with plans for the ball next week.”

T’Challa modded. “Yes that will be fine. I assume you’ll be bringing your young man.” He tried to sound formal but amusement coated each word and he struggled to hold back a smile.

“My ‘young man’? Who are you, my father?” Nakia joked. “Or my supposed betrothed?”

T’Challa waved her off. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to be rid of all the duties being queen comes with.” Ramonda, in her excitement over the proposal, had handed queen duties to a reluctant Nakia. She would be resuming them with the end of the “engagement”.

Nakia shrugged. “It’s not that bad but I’ll be happy to have my freedom back. And Ife will be happy to have me to herself again.”

T’Challa understood. To be a king or queen was to belong to the people, not always to yourself. While Nakia would’ve made a great queen, she would not have been happy or able to be her true self. He was glad she was able to escape, and as much as he loved her, was glad Nereyda had escaped that same pressure.

As if reading his mind, Nakia asked, “And your dora? How will she take to the queen duties?” Not for the first time, he thought of Nereyda as queen.

She would be… _glorious_. Giving, understanding, she would probably take up a platform, like other queens, but something with more substance, a problem that most well off Wakandans didn’t think about. The people would love her because she would care for them and put their interests first. He was sure of it. But it wasn’t a possibility.

“I don’t think that will happen at this point. She’s moving on with her life and I don’t want to be selfish with her anymore.” Nakia looked confused. “When I went by her place after the mission, she told me she just wanted to be mine.” T’Challa sighed. “I don’t want to put her in a place again where she can’t be, where she has to be a secret again.”

Nakia was thoughtful for a moment. “But who says you have to?” Her face was animated in that way it would be when she was ready for a lecture. “The way you commanded the council about the outreach center, you can do the same with your dora…”

“Nereyda”

“Yes. Nereyda.”

T’Challa thought about it. Yes he could. He realized there was a different weight to being King than being prince. Advocating for the outreach center was his first experience fight the council and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. But would Nereyda even want him after all this time?

“I’m not sure if she still wants to be with me in that way.”

“You’re the king, the Black Panther. You’ll just have to convince her.” Nakia’s smile was wicked and T’Challa answered with one of his own. He knew exactly what he needed to do.

————————

Nereyda returned to her apartment and huffed out a breath, leaning against the back of the door. After spending over two months in her apartment mourning the loss of her relationship, she decided to get on with her life. She’s spent the last week looking into a home to purchase. While she was comfortable in her apartment, it wouldn’t do for her goals.

She decided to move forward with her orphanage for young girls. It was something she found passion in, whenever she thought about how different her life could’ve been had she been given opportunities and education beyond what was offered at the Dora House. Being with…him had given her experiences she never thought she’d get. She wanted to teach younger girls to do for themselves. It was okay to want to be taken care of but Nereyda was relishing in an independence shed never experienced. The young girls in her care would know that feeling, and then make their own decisions about men. Or women.

Finding a home to serve her needs was proving to be difficult though. Despite her initial thoughts, real estate agents in the city weren’t adverse to working with her. She assumed it was out of pity for her, the ex-lover of the engaged king, but she didn’t mind. The agents took a look at the emblem of Bast she was still wearing around her neck and fell over themselves to assist her. Nereyda held back laughter every time; people wouldn’t speak to her as the king’s dora, but as herself she was equal to them. If her current status worked in her favor, then it wouldn’t be the last time she’d throw it in their faces.

She’d spent the day with her chosen agent, a young woman with a kind smile and tight violet curls. They looked at several buildings in her budget, mostly older homes on the edge of the city. They were livable but would need upgrades that Nereyda could take her time doing. She’d gotten into contact with the agency who dealt with newly orphaned children and told them of her plans. They were skeptical but told her she would be allowed to take in a few girls, provided the home she bought was up to standard. Nereyda was determined for this to work.

She still thought about T’Challa, everyday thought about her love for him and how much he had to have loved her. She knew he did love her; there was no way he could have faked that kind of love her showed her. The long nights spent talking, the love making, she put her all into it and he reciprocated with a passion she knew she never wanted to experience with anyone else. She missed him fiercely, felt a constant ache in her chest she tried to work through from being away from him. She wouldn’t go back and live life as his mistress though. He would marry Nakia, have children with her. Nereyda didn’t want to watch him experience things with Nakia while still calling Nereyda his and her never have those experiences with him. Erik visiting her all those weeks ago made her reevaluate. She wasn’t angry at T’Challa, just sad he didn’t believe in their love enough to try.

But she was determined to not play second fiddle in his life. Nereyda pushed off the door and went to her bedroom, stripping to her underwear as she went.

“AHHHH!” she screamed out at the appearance of a figure leaning against the headboard on her bed.

“Bitch what’s the screaming for?” Nina sat nonchalantly filing her nails as if she hadn’t nearly given Nereyda a heart attack.

“What the hell are you doing in my apartment? _How_ did you get in here?”

Nina gave her a look. “Now don’t ask silly questions.” She gestured to a huge box Nereyda hadn’t noticed at the end of bed. “I come bearing gifts.”

Curiously, she made her way to the bed and the pretty matte black box with a silver satin bow on top. Lifting the lid, she saw the most gorgeous [gold dress](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fm.dhgate.com%2Fproduct%2Fwedding-decorations-58pcs-a-set-funny-photo%2F240060587.html%23pd-002&t=NTk1NGZiYWZlYWY0ZWJmODFmNTQ4MmM3NjFkNDYyNjM3NzU3ZmU5NixxODVXcjlsMA%3D%3D&b=t%3Amz5UcVF3fWzzLCXmhyqdHg&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftheunsweetenedtruth.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F180734334971%2Fon-your-mind&m=1). Nereyda’s heart beat faster. She knew only one person who would get her something like this and it wasn’t Nina. She fingered the see through material reverently before pulling it from the box and holding it against her body.

Nina let out a low whistle. “Damn. I didn’t know what was in it or else I would’ve kept the shit,” she joked. Nereyda ignored her and looked in the box. There were gold strappy heels and a card. She laid the dress to the side, reaching for the note. Her hands trembled and she felt weak. She just acknowledged that she loved the man still and now Bast sent her this. The message on the heavy card stock was short:

**Tonight, 8pm. Please**

There was no signature but Nereyda’s suspicions were confirmed; it was T’Challa’s handwriting. Tonight…”Isn’t tonight the engagement ball?”

Nina looked up from her phone. “Engagement ball? Girl no. T’Challa and Nakia aren’t engaged anymore. You must be living under a rock. It’s all anyone can talk about.”

Nereyda felt hope swell in her chest, and her body get hot. “Nina, please don’t play games.”

“I swear. It’s not an engagement ball. It’s a coronation ball. T’Challa never had one.” Nereyda had avoided all news about the ball, expecting it to be a celebration for the happy couple. Things were beginning to make sense. How long had T’Challa and Nakia been broken up? Was that the reason why everyone was being so nice to her? She remembered a vague comment from her landlord about needing a thirty day notice before breaking her lease. Did everyone think T’Challa ended things because of her? _Did_ he end things because of her? Looking at the note still in her grasp and the dress on her bed, Nereyda thought it was a possibility.

But she still had questions. “Where did you get this? When did you see T’Challa?” Nina looked guilty.

“I’ve been talking to Erik. He’s the one who asked me to bring it. I honestly didn’t know what was in it.”

Nereyda believed her but she wasn’t sure about meeting T’Challa at the ball. “I don’t know Nina. I don’t think I can go. I am just getting back to myself.”

Nina rose from the bed and pulled Nereyda into a hug. Nereyda sunk into the larger woman’s embrace, tears prickling her eyes. Nina pulled away after a few moments and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Bitch you’re going to the ball.” She rose a hand at the beginnings of Nereyda’s protests. “Even if it’s just to hear what he has to say. He owes you an explanation. You should show him what he’s been missing while you get it.”

Nereyda looked at her suspiciously. “What do you know?” She asked the other dora.

Nina presses her lips together. “I know that if you don’t start getting dressed I’m gonna do it for you.” She flipped back on the bed, conversation over.


End file.
